LINCOLN, N.H. —

As peak foliage season begins in the White Mountains, tourism leaders are bracing for the possibility of a federal government shutdown that could leave visitors without ranger services, open bathrooms or staff at federal forest facilities.

For many travelers, the annual trip to New Hampshire is a tradition. A couple visiting from Tennessee said they have been returning to the same bench in Lincoln for photos every year for close to a decade, and they’re hoping their tradition won't be interrupted by politics in Washington.

"It's my favorite part of New England. I love to come to New Hampshire," said Ethel Brown of Tennessee.

Charyl Reardon, president of the White Mountains Attractions Association, said the most immediate impact of a shutdown would be on safety and basic

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